


Music and Colors

by Fraulein



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Mutant Powers, Telepathy, pre-Clint Barton/Darcy Lewis - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:27:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25796647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fraulein/pseuds/Fraulein
Summary: For a mutant Darcy led a fairly quiet life.  Sure, she could hear people’s thoughts but no one knew so she appeared to be just the average co-ed.  The one thing she enjoyed about telepathy is that people’s thoughts often came with music and colors.  It was also instrumental in her finding her place in life.  Unfortunately, that all came to an end one day.  With SHIELD threatening to take her into custody Darcy is forced into a position she never expected to find herself in.  On the run, she comes across help from an unexpected source.
Relationships: Clint Barton & Darcy Lewis, Jane Foster & Darcy Lewis, Phil Coulson & Darcy Lewis
Comments: 23
Kudos: 62
Collections: Darcy Lewis Bingo





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to Crimtastic and thestancyg for the brainstorming help. Couldn't have done this without you! 
> 
> For those of you here for Clint he makes an appearance in chapter 2! The good news chapter 2 is completed and chapter 3 is in the works. I'm hoping to bring the story in under 20k - so it will be 4, maybe 5 chapters total. 
> 
> This fic is for the Darcy Lewis bingo. It checks off box R2 - Mutant Darcy Lewis

Being a mutant had its disadvantages but Darcy rarely experienced them. She’d never known persecution as she appeared to be completely normal. And, as a telepath, she probably never would given she could avoid it just by reading a person’s mind. But telepathy did have its drawbacks. Hearing the thoughts of every person that crossed her path was distracting and annoying on even her best days. Over the years she had gotten proficient at blocking most people’s thoughts but the constant cascade of voices occasionally overwhelmed her. Still, Darcy usually enjoyed her ability. People’s thoughts fascinated her as they were often accompanied by music and colors. Each person was different but occasionally she found a person whose mind was especially vivid. Those she had a tendency to seek out as they were enjoyable to listen to. 

Early in her freshman year of college Darcy learned by accident that scientists thought differently from other people. She had taken physics for poets because she had thought the name of the class had a whimsical quality given the topic. From the moment the professor walked through the door Darcy was mesmerized. It wasn’t the topic so much as the sound his of thoughts that pulled her in. It was like listening to a full orchestra. She had never heard anything like it. 

From that point forward Darcy haunted the science buildings around campus. She learned quickly she didn’t have a natural affinity for any of the sciences and that it was just the scientists’ thoughts that captivated her. Disappointed, she eventually found another area of study that suited her. Darcy tried to convince herself just because science was in the name of her major was not the reason she ended up in political science. But, she had a feeling it was. 

In contrast to scientists Darcy found the thoughts of liberal arts professors were more like massive paintings that covered the spectrum from da Vinci to Dali from Picasso to Pollock and everything in between. Generally, their thoughts were not soothing but were a riot of colors and voices and while exciting it could at times become exhausting. Still, the brashness of Darcy’s political science professors resonated with her and so she stuck with it. But they didn’t soothe her mind like scientists and she was continually drawn back to that side of campus. 

It was by chance that Darcy learned she could play a role when it came to scientific discovery. She was working her way through all of the science libraries on campus enjoying the different flavors each specialty offered when she discovered the out of the way astronomical library. At the edge of campus in an old rambling gothic building the astrophysics department wasn’t huge but it was well funded. They had their own observatory on campus and a fairly large collection in their library. 

Settling in one day to study Darcy heard a young woman ruminating over some equations. Listening in, Darcy was amused at how the woman argued with herself whether they made sense and if she should take her theory to a colleague. The mental push and pull within the woman’s mind went on for quite some time and Darcy was curious, despite not really understanding the topic, why the scientist was hesitant to present her idea. Finally, Darcy purposefully dropped her pen under the woman’s table. Crawling under the scientist’s feet to retrieve her ballpoint sufficiently interrupted the woman’s thoughts and gave Darcy the opening she needed to speak with her. She asked a vague question about the university’s telescope, knowing the woman had just spent the previous evening in the observatory and with that, they were off and running. 

Dr. Jane Foster’s mind was like a symphony. Her thoughts rang brightly and seemed to encompass everything from the boom of the kettle drums to the trill of the flute. On the day of their first meeting they initially spoke in general terms about astrophysics but Darcy let the woman’s thoughts guide her into the scientist’s specialty which only encouraged Dr. Foster to speak further. The scientist’s thoughts were a wild ride as they soared to incredible heights and then with a moment of doubt fell to devastating depths. Caught up in the back and forth Darcy asked a simple question which forced the doctor to slow down and explain herself. As she elaborated on her theory the woman’s thoughts crystalized. By the end of the afternoon Dr. Foster had written pages of notes documenting her theory for Darcy and in the process had convinced herself to pursue a new direction in her studies. 

Thereafter, Darcy studied regularly in the astrophysics library and made a point of running into Dr. Foster. Over time Dr. Foster became Jane and eventually, the pair formed a friendship. Many found it odd that a brilliant astrophysicist would spend time with an undergraduate that wasn’t even in the sciences. But Jane was known to be a little eccentric so it was explained away as just an odd but unobjectionable aberration. 

What most people didn’t know was Darcy had become a valuable part of Jane’s work process. The young woman had a knack for asking just the right question at just the right time. She often steered Jane into lines of thought she hadn’t fully considered and over time the scientist’s research expanded beyond her expectations. 

While Jane was known for being the quintessential absentminded professor, even she noticed her theories were coalescing quicker and had improved with Darcy’s arrival. So she wasn’t as shocked as she might have been when Darcy revealed she was a telepath. Jane accepted Darcy’s explanation of what she was able to do with aplomb and their relationship only strengthened. It was no surprise then that when Jane planned her trip to New Mexico to begin her field research she found a way for Darcy to accompany her as her intern. 

Neither Jane nor Darcy expected anything out of the ordinary to happen on their retreat to the desert but fate had other ideas. A god falling for the sky started them down an unforeseen path that ended in a secret government agency taking a proactive interest in Jane’s research. Not given much of a choice the pair decided to roll with it and embraced the influx of cash that came with government oversight. SHIELD offered them stability where research grants couldn’t. It seemed like a harmless compromise at the time. 

The day began like most days did, with a cup of coffee. With the money SHIELD had bestowed on them Darcy had splurged on some fresh Arabica beans. It made for rich scented, smooth coffee and placing a cup at Jane’s side Darcy settled in to get some work done. She was just waiting for Jane’s mental ramblings to clear. She hadn’t said anything yet but Darcy could hear her weighing the pros and cons of a fledgling theory. This was the part of their work Darcy truly enjoyed, listening to Jane ruminate on something for a while before latching on and digging in. Her mind was a thing of beauty and when she was in the zone it was like listening to her write a new symphony. Intuitive leaps of thought grounded in hard science gave way to graceful notes as the concepts Jane was considering coalesced into something more solid. As her theory built it was as if she was layering instrument after instrument until an entire symphony was playing. Few people’s thoughts emitted anything more complicated than the sounds of one instrument, much less fully formed songs, so listening to Jane was a true pleasure. 

While she waited for her cue to start asking Jane questions about her theory Darcy began to organize the previous day’s notes. Queuing up music on her iPod and taking a sip of her coffee she wasn’t thinking about anything particular beyond what to make for lunch when the lab’s front door opened. Looking up from her work Darcy greeted their visitors, “Son of Coul! How fare thee this fine morning?!”

“Miss Lewis. I am well. How are you?” Coulson replied with an indulgent smile.

“I’m great. I’ve got my tunes. I’ve got my coffee. Jane’s hit on a new theory. All is right in my world,” Darcy declared with a toast of her coffee cup.

“That is good to hear. I’d like you to meet Margarit Pena. She’ll be with us for a few days,” Coulson said, gesturing to a woman standing at his side.

Setting aside her coffee, Darcy was about to welcome the new arrival when her tranquil morning imploded. Initially, she had gotten the impression the visit was just a run of the mill introduction but suddenly Darcy knew it was something much, much more. From Coulson’s thoughts, she gained nothing. He had a subtle woodwind quality to them that morning which wasn’t all that unusual. Nor was the underlying current of caution she sensed coming from him. 

It was the sudden shift in Pena’s thoughts that sent a maelstrom of sound and color at Darcy that had overpowered her. She had never felt anything like it. The woman had been resigned when she walked in. Her thoughts were like a drab gray modern art painting. She clearly broadcasted how annoyed she was that she had had to travel so far for something that would most likely amount to nothing. But seconds after Darcy spoke Pena went from bored to ecstatic. She sounded like a bugle horn blaring a high pitched note while red rockets exploded in the background. Bowled over by the intensity of Pena’s thoughts Darcy frantically tried to get a read on the woman. The nearly impenetrable shields she found protecting the woman’s mind were unexpected and with a sinking heart, she watched the woman slowly begin to smile. 

There was a predatory gleam in her eye as Pena said, “Oh, this is a surprise.”

Coulson looked sharply over at the woman and said, “Pena?”

Smiling down at Darcy she said, “Look at you. You’re so naïve. Did you think no one would find you?”

Darcy stared at Pena in horror intuitively knowing the woman was referring to her abilities. Turning to Agent Coulson somehow hoping he could stop what was happening, Darcy read only dread and heard the forlorn hint of a baritone. In contrast, Pena emanated a disorganized canopy of noise and color. The woman stepped forward and looked down at her gleefully. Feeling hunted Darcy shrank back in her seat wishing desperately she could disappear. “Nothing to say?” Pena asked. 

“Pena, what have you found?” Coulson demanded, looking from Darcy to Pena as if he wanted to put a stop to whatever was happening. 

“On a quick read she’s a telepath. She’s actually quite strong. Surprisingly so. She hides it well,” the woman replied with some admiration.

Frantically, Darcy once again tried to get a deeper reading of the woman but crashed up against a solid wall of riotous color that had little give. Overwhelmed by the Pena’s jubilance, Darcy tried to find some small opening she could exploit. She was desperate to convince Pena she was wrong. But she found nothing. The woman was too well shielded for Darcy to manipulate. 

Turning to Coulson Darcy read regret and could hear a sad soulful thrum of a trombone, which was not reassuring in the least. She could also tell Coulson was repressing how unhappy he was with Pena. It gave Darcy hope it was an opening she could use to make him doubt Pena’s discovery. 

Seemingly pleased with her find Pena jeered, “Did you think you’d never be found out? What is it you think SHIELD does? Not that catching mutants is their purpose but it is something they are surprisingly good at.” 

“What are we dealing with?” Coulson asked.

“A telepath of the highest order with both perception and communication abilities. There is some empathy as well. I’d say she has both defensive and offensive capabilities. Whether she can actually use them is questionable,” Pena reported. With a tip of her head, she gave Darcy a calculating look before adding, “Someone might be able to penetrate her shields. It would take some time.” 

“All units converge on the lab,” Coulson said into his earpiece, never taking his eyes off Darcy.

Panicking Darcy was at loss as to what to do or say. She grasped blindly for some way to stop what was happening. But, her mind was blank. She looked at Coulson again, hoping he might help. She had gotten the sense earlier that he sympathized with her. Now, however, she found the agent’s mind had turned a dark matte gray and his usual accompanying music had gone silent. In addition, the subtle shields that normally hung over his mind had strengthened and Darcy could no longer read him in depth. She could only sense Coulson’s surface thoughts which focused on containment and oddly enough, protecting her. Both only heightened her fear that the situation was spinning out of control. 

As Darcy scrambled for a response Pena took another step closer and teased, “Gotten over being scared yet? Are you getting ready to fight? To run? You know it won’t do you any good. You won’t make it a block. SHIELD will snatch you right up. What do you think the little boys with the guns are for?”

Taking a step forward, as if to block Pena, Coulson said, “Darcy you don’t have to be afraid. We just need to take you into custody and do an evaluation. It’s fairly common in these sorts of situations.” 

“Take me into custody?!” Darcy exclaimed indignantly, finally breaking through her paralysis to protest. Coulson’s casual explanation horrified her. His words felt like a betrayal and it shook her more deeply than she would have predicted. She had held out hope he would help her but that clearly wasn’t going to happen. 

“It will only be for a few days,” Coulson tried to reassure her. “Once your evaluation is completed we’ll see about getting you some training.” 

For as strong as Coulson’s mental barriers were, color was returning to his thoughts and they were a drab olive green which signaled to Darcy he didn’t completely believe what he was saying. No longer pinning her hopes on the agent she confronted him, “Coulson. I know you’re lying.” 

“Miss Lewis, if you can read my mind, you know I’m not.” 

Not yet ready to push past his shields Darcy was still able to glean more from Coulson than she expected. His thoughts were edged in scarlet and surprisingly she found he was worried that someone he strongly disliked would hurt her. Latching on to a name that floated to the surface Darcy sprang to her feet and demanded, “Who’s General Ross Coulson? What does he want? You’re afraid. _For_ me.” 

Pena smirked, “You’re right to be afraid. Ross won’t let you go once he’s got you. Make it easy on yourself and come with us. Resisting only leads to isolation rooms and if you’re lucky, a dead-end job. You might be hiding here in the middle of nowhere but you want more for yourself than that, don’t you?” 

“Pena, stop scaring her,” Coulson ordered. His thoughts were scattered but resolved into streaks of translucent white and icy gray as he turned to Darcy and said, “I’m sorry Miss Lewis but you need to come with us. We have a facility fairly close by. If you work with us we can have your evaluation completed in two or three days. Once we know what we’re working with we can proceed from there.”

“Yeah. No. I’m not going anywhere with you,” Darcy declared.

Pena chuckled in delight. “Such spirit. It won’t do you any good.” 

As Pena spoke two oversized jeeps pulled up to the lab and a group of armed men in black fatigues leaped out. As six men surrounded the building, four crashed through the front door, guns raised, scoping out the room as if something dangerous was going to jump out at them. From the moment they entered the lab Darcy was besieged by violent shades of red and black and broken chords of electric guitar. As she fought against the onslaught of the men’s vicious thoughts one of them rushed to Coulson’s side as the other three took up positions at each of the exits. 

“What’s the situation?” the lead agent barked as he looked between Coulson and Darcy. 

“We have a telepath. Capabilities unknown. Use extreme caution. Tranquilizers only,” Coulson ordered.

“This is crazy. I’m not doing anything to anyone. I just want to be left alone,” Darcy pleaded, becoming more desperate as the situation escalated. She could see the trap SHIELD had set was about to spring shut and her chances of stopping it were slipping through her fingers. As the armed agents’ thoughts ripped through her mind like metal guitar riffs Darcy finally understood there would be no reasoning with anyone. SHIELD would do whatever it took to bring her in. If she wanted to be free the only option she had left was to run. 

Running was never something Darcy had seriously considered before. As a telepath, she always thought she’d have plenty of warning if she was threatened in any way so running was never a concern. She hadn’t accounted for another mutant. Now that she was in a position where she had to run if she wanted to retain her freedom the idea terrified her. For one, she doubted she had the skills she needed to hide from an agency as powerful as SHIELD. And, the idea of leaving everything and everyone she knew behind had been unthinkable until right that moment. 

The other problem Darcy had was her mind seemed to stall out when she tried to come up with a plan. All she had was the impulse to run, to hide, to get away, which wasn’t helpful when it came to the practicality of how she was going to do it. It just seemed incredible to her that the only option left was running. Part of her was still caught up in trying to find a way to fix everything and just couldn’t believe there was no other way out. 

What made the situation all the more frightening was the raw aggression the SHIELD agents broadcasted. They seemed to view everything as a threat and that violence was the answer to most problems. The last thing Darcy wanted to do was to pit her abilities against an entire group of such men but she was coming to understand she had little choice. 

Reeling from how quickly the situation had deteriorated Darcy was scrambling to decide what to do when Jane interjected, “Darcy? What’s going on?”

Darcy slowly turned to her and with a grim expression replied, “They know Jane.” Regret washed over her as she watched Jane come out of the trance-like state she got in when she was working. The soft sounds of violins continued before breaking off in a disharmonious chord as the scientist struggled to make sense of what Darcy said. 

Frowning Jane asked in confusion, “Know? Know what?”

“Remember what I told you?” Darcy prompted. 

It took a moment for Jane to put the pieces together but the armed men made an impression as did Darcy’s solemn appearance. Scrambling out of her seat Jane exclaimed, “Oh god,” As she rushed to Darcy’s side. Eyes wide Jane took in the tableau before her and asked “How did they find out?”

“Her,” Darcy replied, gesturing to Pena. “She’s some sort of mutant. I guess she can read people.”

Preening Pena said, “I sense and evaluate a person’s potential. Based on Coulson’s report I wasn’t expecting much. Such exceptional finds are rare.” 

With a scowl at Pena Jane leaned into Darcy and asked in a low voice, “What can I do?” 

“There isn’t anything you can do Dr. Foster. We need Miss Lewis to come with us,” Coulson said.

“And if Darcy doesn’t want to go with you?”

“That would be unfortunate,” Coulson replied.

Darcy laughed bitterly, “That’s his way of saying they’ll use force. These guys have orders to tranquilize me if I don’t agree to go with them in the next minute. They’re worried I’m going to manipulate their minds or use some sort of psychic energy to escape.”

“Can you do that Miss Lewis?” Coulson asked.

With a speculative gleam in her eye, Pena answered, “She can do something. She’s setting up a shield around her little friend.” 

“Darcy, don’t,” Jane objected.

“Now sir?” the lead agent asked as he pulled out a handgun and leveled it at Darcy.

“It would be much easier if you came with us willingly Miss Lewis,” Coulson urged. “If you can read my mind you know SHIELD has no intention of retaining you. We simply want to evaluate you.”

Darcy had to give the agent credit. Coulson was doing a good job of keeping only mundane thoughts at the surface of his mind. She could do more digging but preferred not to. She always learned more than she wanted and she didn’t want to hurt him. It took effort to collapse a person’s shields and Darcy disliked how violated the person felt when she did it. Instead, she settled for asking her question and hoping she’d get an honest answer. That much Darcy could easily gauge. “Why are you afraid for me Coulson?” She asked again. 

Coulson was silent as his thoughts swirled from gray to yellow to lightning strikes of red. The color combinations were unusual for Coulson so Darcy didn’t know what to make of them but she thought his resentful glance at Pena was telling. With a pinched brow, he replied, “SHIELD is not the only group that will be interested in you. While we would respect your wishes not to work with us, others might not be as understanding. I’d hate to see you brought in against your will. There have been instances where individuals such as yourself faced significant obstacles in leaving because they didn’t cooperate. I would prefer that not happen to you.”

“You can’t hold her against her will! She’s not a threat to anyone!” Jane cried.

Pena sneered, “My, you are loyal. Do you think you are immune to her manipulating you? Don’t you know she can take advantage of your weaknesses and exploit you?”

“I know she can read my mind. I’m not worried about it. I’ve made more progress in my research than I have in years since I’ve known Darcy. I’ve never thought clearer,” Jane declared. 

“Oh, really?” Pena said as her eyes lit up eagerly. Turning to Darcy she asked, “So you’re able to push her mind where you want it to go? Keep her focused on a problem?” 

“So what? She hasn’t done anything wrong,” Jane argued.

“While that’s reassuring we need to know what else Miss Lewis is capable of,” Coulson insisted.

“Why? So you can use her? What if she doesn’t want to be used? Then what are you going to do?”

“After we know what her capabilities are Miss Lewis will be given a choice – to work with us. Or, to return here. Although, there will be limitations put in place,” Coulson replied.

“Limitations? What sort of limitations?” Jane demanded.

With a grim laugh, Darcy said, “The sort of limitations where I’m going to be watched for the rest of my life. Isn’t that right Coulson? You’re going to control where I live, where I work, who my friends are. Is there anything you won’t control?”

“For a short time you will be kept under surveillance,” Coulson conceded. “At some point, once we’re reassured you aren’t a threat to others we will lift it. Although we will maintain contact. There could come a time when we will need your expertise.”

“Translation. I’ll never be free. Someone will always be watching,” Darcy scoffed.

Coulson grimaced but didn’t deny Darcy was right. Vindication sped through her as she enjoyed his discomfort. She could sense the conflict within him. Regret was warring with his belief that what he was doing was right. Unfortunately, Darcy could also read that his convictions were stronger than his emotions and it only reaffirmed that she could not rely on him for help. 

Pena tittered, “Your shields aren’t normally so weak Coulson. You have a soft spot for this one. It won’t do you or her any good. You know that. Ross has wanted another telepath for years. The one he has isn’t nearly this strong.” Turning to Darcy she said, “It’s time. If you come willingly we’ll let you pack a bag and say goodbye to your friend.”

Darcy slowly looked from Pena to Coulson to the man holding a gun on her and then over to Jane. Dejected, her shoulders slumped as the fight went out of her and she said gently, “Jane. I have to go.”

“Darcy no,” Jane argued and grasped Darcy’s arm as if she could stop her.

“I’ll be ok,” Darcy replied as she gave Jane’s hand a squeeze to try to reassure her. Darcy smiled softly as she listened to Jane’s racing thoughts and regret sped through her as she realized she might not ever hear them again. Looking over at Coulson she gave him a weak smile and subtle shrug as if to ask what did he expect and then in a blink of an eye she disappeared. 

Stunned by Darcy’s sudden disappearance no one moved. Pena was the first to recover and exclaimed, “Do you really think you can run? I might not be able to see you but I can sense you. You’re still here.”

“Block the doors. Let the others know we have a rogue telepath,” Coulson ordered the lead agent.

“On it.” 

Glancing around Coulson addressed the room, “Miss Lewis, you don’t want to do this. SHIELD is not your enemy. We only want to help you. The best way we can do that is if you come with us willingly.”

“Leave Darcy alone!” Jane cried. 

“Unfortunately, we don’t have that option, Dr. Foster. Miss Lewis, please show yourself.”

Just then the SHIELD agent standing by the back door jerked in place as the zap of a taser could be heard. As he fell to the ground the door flew open and then slammed shut with a bang.

Running to the back door the lead agent shouted into his earpiece, “The telepath is running. Get to the back exit. She’s invisible and armed with a taser. Other capabilities unknown. Tranqs only.”

Pena followed in the agent’s wake and with a self-assured smirk said, “She won’t get far. The town’s too small. There are no crowds for her to get lost in. We’ll flush her out.”


	2. The Sound of Purple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the run, Darcy finds help from an unexpected and somewhat annoying source.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Crimtastic and thestancyg for their invaluable input!
> 
> This fic is for the Darcy Lewis bingo. It checks off box R2 - Mutant Darcy Lewis

Blind panic governed Darcy as the backdoor to the lab slammed shut behind her. She had barely taken five steps when she was met by the SHIELD agent guarding the back of the building. An unharmonious shriek of electric guitar poured from his mind as his malicious intent oozed putrid neon green. There was a viciousness about him that caused Darcy to flinch away as he swung around looking for her. His animosity toward mutants and his determination to bring her down by whatever means necessary was alarming and it spurred Darcy to run faster. 

As she ran Darcy was besieged by a sudden onslaught of noise and color as the entire contingent of SHIELD agents went on high alert. Disjointed chords of string instruments screamed through Darcy’s mind as she ran along the back of the dealership. The agents’ thoughts pulsed in unison as they each relished the coming hunt. Senses overwhelmed, Darcy just missed being run down by three agents coming around the side of the building. She dodged them and cowered against the wall, terrified they would sense her presence. She knew even with her taser she would be no match for them and that her invisibility would do her little good if they got their hands on her. 

It took a moment for Darcy to regroup and as she pushed away from the wall to continue running Pena and the rest of the agents came through the backdoor of the lab. She could hear the woman’s thoughts and took exception with Pena’s certainty that Darcy wasn’t capable of outrunning SHIELD. Determined to prove Pena wrong and worried the mutant would sense her, Darcy sprinted around the side of the building and continued across the street, hoping she could reach the next block up before SHIELD organized their search. 

As she ran Darcy struggled to think of what she should do next. She knew running would only get her so far. She needed to hide. But where was the problem. If Pena could sense Darcy it limited her options. She needed to find someplace the mutant couldn’t easily access but in such a small town there were few such places. Coming up to the next corner Darcy turned left and headed deeper into town, vaguely hoping that something would come to mind. She was just approaching the diner when she came across a blond SHIELD agent she had seen around town. As she skipped off the sidewalk and into the street to pass him he said, “You’re going to get caught if you go that way.”

As there was no one else in the vicinity that he could be addressing Darcy jerked to a stop, stunned that the agent had spoken to her. Looking him over she was struck by the sound of honky-tonk music and she could sense a playful disposition. None of that fit with what she knew of SHIELD and she struggled to place him in the agency’s hierarchy. She was at a loss for while his black sleeveless attire set off his muscular arms; it definitely didn’t fit in with Coulson and his men in black suits. That the blond didn’t appear armed and wasn’t running around with the guys with guns also was at odds with him being a SHIELD agent. The only thing Darcy knew was he shouldn’t be able to see her. 

Holding his hands up as if to pacify her, the man said, “Hey. We’re cool here. Ok? I’m not going to hurt you. But you might want to think about what you’re doing.”

Flabbergasted Darcy asked, “You can see me?” 

Dropping his hands the man tilted his head as he squinted at Darcy, “Yeah, sorta. You’re blurry. Like a Monet painting. Coulson said you were invisible and since most people actually look like people I figured you’ve got to be who SHIELD’s looking for.”

Darcy tried to get a read on the man. All she could pick up was an intense desire for coffee and the twang of a steel guitar with a back note of a harmonica. Trying to dig deeper she came across a flurry of random thoughts that swirled, vivid with various shades of purple. A bow and arrows, falling from great heights, explosions and pizza all spun through his mind at a breakneck speed. A redhead popped into view and disappeared just as quickly and then the agent’s mind turned into a royal purple bubble that wouldn’t burst. Stymied by how illogical the man’s mind was organized Darcy let it go, not sensing any immediate threat. “You shouldn’t be able to see me at all,” she said looking worriedly over her shoulder to see if any SHIELD agents were following her yet. 

“Yeah, well. It’s a knack,” the agent replied with an indifferent shrug.

“A knack? You’re a mutant?” Darcy guessed, suddenly understanding why she couldn’t get a better read on him. 

“Well, yeah. I thought that was a given. It usually takes one to know one.”

“If you’re a mutant what are you doing with SHIELD?” Darcy demanded.

“Eh. They’re not so bad. They pay decent. And, they offer dental.”

“Well, good for you. I have to go,” Darcy said as she took off running again.

Following her the agent called out, “Hey. Like I said. You’re going to get caught if you go that way. You need to head to the edge of town. Go over to the bar. If you really are invisible hide in the back of a pickup and catch a ride out of town that way.”

Stopping abruptly Darcy turned back to look at the agent, baffled by his behavior. She was still trying to get a better read on him when he added reluctantly, “And hey, you should know someone is probably going to bring in dogs to track you. Can you fool animals?”

“Damn it,” Darcy quietly exclaimed. 

“Yeah. Sorry. I won’t suggest it to anyone but this isn’t SHIELD’s first rodeo. We know how to handle mutants. And you’re not our first telepath.”

“Why are you helping me?” Darcy asked as she tried to delve into his surface thoughts. They were an inviting shade of lavender that swirled into darker shades of violet. But, it was as if his mind was made of rubber the way her every effort bounced off the odd barrier he had erected. It was disconcerting. She had never experienced anything like it before. 

“I figure you have your reasons for running. I’m the first to admit I’ve got it pretty good. Not all mutants get the sort of deal I’ve got. And SHIELD isn’t the only agency involved so I’m not going to stop you. Though SHIELD is probably your best option if you’re given one.” 

“How do I avoid dogs?” Darcy demanded, becoming annoyed with how chatty the agent was. As time ticked by her frustration mounted because for as much as he was professing his desire to help her, the man was wasting valuable time. 

“Yeah. That’s a tough one,” the man conceded unmoved by Darcy’s urgency. “Get in the next car going out of town - but be quick. They’ll be stopping and searching them in another minute or two.”

“Damn it,” Darcy growled under her breath, desperation mounting. 

“You know you could just come back with me,” the agent offered.

Aggravated by his suggestion Darcy jeered, “Yeah right. I go back now I’ll probably never see the light of day again.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that. I mean, yeah SHIELD is definitely going to be extra cautious. But you’re not violent are you?”

“No,” Darcy replied in disdain.

“Good. That’s a big plus right there. And yeah, you ran and can obviously go invisible – or at least convince people not to see you. But those are minor things when it comes to the stuff SHIELD usually deals with. There’s no reason you can’t come back with me right now. Coulson would be cool.”

Just then a black jeep came careening around the corner with SHIELD agents practically hanging out the windows, obviously looking for her. Darcy jumped back on to the sidewalk so she wouldn’t be run down and prayed they still couldn’t see her. After they passed she said, “I have to go.”

As she ran back the way she came, the perplexing agent followed after her, complaining, “Do you have to run? It’s not like they can see you.” 

“It’s not like you have to come,” Darcy quietly called back in exasperation, trying to put more distance between them. 

“Yeah, well. I’m supposed to be looking for you. And since I’ve found you - I don’t have anything else to do.”

As Darcy hit the cross street perpendicular to the lab she stopped to look down the block to see what SHIELD was doing. Coulson was standing outside the lab speaking on his phone, his posture tense. Darcy could sense his displeasure as he explained to someone what was happening and she took some small satisfaction knowing that she was the cause. It worried her though that Pena wasn’t visible and she had to wonder where the mutant had gotten too. As she stood watching Clint came up to look over her shoulder and asked, “Can you read his mind from this far away?”

Dodging away from the agent Darcy complained, “Would you go away! I’m going to get caught.” 

“I’m not going to give you away. Everyone will just think I’m looking for you. They still can’t see you, right?” the agent reasoned. 

“No, they can’t see me,” Darcy growled as she once again headed toward the edge of town. She didn’t have to run far before the street she was on petered out to dirt. She really wished Puente Antiguo was bigger. There was just no way to get lost in such a small town. That they were isolated in the middle of a desert didn’t help matters either. With the climate as harsh as it was she couldn’t simply walk away and expect to make it someplace more populated before she died of exposure, the distances were just too great. As she hurried along the dirt path that skirted the town Darcy glanced over at the agent, confused as to why he was still there. “Would you stop following me!” she insisted.

“Why?” 

“Because I’m trying to get away from SHIELD. And you’re part of SHIELD. So you’re not helping!”

“See, I think I’m helping plenty. I told you how to get out of here, didn’t I? And, I warned you about the dogs. The least you can do is let me come along,” the agent argued, completely unfazed by Darcy’s irritation with him. 

“If they catch me because of you – so help me I’ll -,” Darcy grumbled and slowed as a car drove past. Once it was gone she started walking as fast as she could, her eyes on the bar just a block away. 

“Actually, I think your odds of getting away go up if I’m with you. People see me and they’ll go look somewhere else. I mean, if I had found you I would have called it in – right? Right now all anyone sees is me walking along the side of the road,” the agent contended. 

Closing in on the bar’s gravel parking lot Darcy considered the four pickup trucks parked there. All of them were worn and dusty. Each had equipment and tools in their beds. Seeing one had a tarp she headed straight toward it. As she began to pull herself up into the back the agent asked, “You sure you want to pick that one?”

“Why not? It’s got a tarp.”

“First place I’d look for you. What I would want to know, if I were you, was where each of these trucks is headed. Find the one getting the farthest from town – but also see if they will take you someplace with more people. The last thing you want to do is go someplace even more remote.”

“How am I supposed to do that?”

“You’re a telepath aren’t you? Go check out the bar. The drivers are probably inside.”

“Oh. That’s a good idea,” Darcy replied, chagrined she hadn’t thought of it herself. 

“I’ve been known to have a few,” the agent snarked. 

Perturbed with herself as well as the agent who continued to help her for no apparent reason, Darcy stomped across the parking lot telling herself to get it together. She needed to do better if she had any hope of escaping SHIELD. “What about me getting out of town as fast as possible? Won’t SHIELD look for me in the bar?” Darcy asked as she tried to think further ahead than the next few seconds.

“Well, yeah. But you’re invisible. And, I’ll be there. No one is going to look that hard if they think I have the place covered.”

Darcy was completely thrown by the agent’s behavior. That he wouldn’t leave her alone was a nerve-wracking distraction she didn’t need considering she was running for her life. But he seemed sincere in offering his assistance and she begrudgingly had to admit she needed it. She also sort of liked him. What little she had gotten from the agent’s mind seemed playful and bright. And, it was rare that she came across someone whose mind stuck to such a consistent color palette. That it was purple made him all the more unusual. And likable. All combined it also made him infuriating. “Why are you helping me?” Darcy asked again, her confusion evident.

“I don’t have anything better to do,” the agent replied with a shrug. “You know you could just make this easy on yourself and come back with me. It hasn’t even been an hour. Coulson would probably just write it up as a field evaluation.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you!”

“Ok, ok. That’s fine. We can do this the hard way if you want. I’ve got nothing but time,” Clint replied agreeably. 

“ _We_ are not doing anything. _I_ am trying to get away from SHIELD,” Darcy declared in a huff.

“Right. And, _I_ am trying to help you do that. Glad we’re on the same page,” the maddening agent said as he held the tavern door open for Darcy.

Scowling, Darcy stalked into the bar and looked around. As it wasn’t even noon the room was silent, with just an old man cleaning behind the counter. He glanced up and said, “Morning. We aren’t serving yet but you’re welcome to take a seat.”

“Cool,” the agent said as he pulled up a stool. 

“Were you looking for breakfast? Sally’s doing a fry up for some others if you’re interested,” the old man said.

“Sure. What’s on the menu?”

“Eggs, hash browns, some links. Nothing fancy but you’re welcome to join us.”

“Sounds good,” the agent replied as he slid another stool away from the bar, conveniently giving Darcy access to it.

Sure the barkeep couldn’t see her Darcy carefully sat down and glanced around. The quick read she got from the old man told her that the voices coming from the back were the owners of the trucks out front. It was also evident the man wasn’t a threat as he was preoccupied with cleaning up the bar and wasn’t aware SHIELD was looking for someone. 

Relaxing slightly Darcy’s adrenaline rush from fleeing the lab dissipated. She knew she was still in danger but the urgent need to run had lessened. The bar offered a brief respite where she could pull herself together and try to plan what to do next. And as much as it galled Darcy to admit it the agent was right, her best chance of escaping was to listen and learn what her choices were before she made a decision. Unfortunately, the bar only seemed innocuous – it offered no real protection from SHIELD. They were still out there looking for her. Once they brought in dogs they would find her within minutes. She needed to get moving soon. 

Leaning on the bar the agent asked, “Any chance I can get a coke?”

“Sure,” the old man replied as he reached down into a refrigerator and pulled out a can. “You with the Feds?”

“Yeah.”

“Were you here last week? Never seen anything like it. Had a tornado in the center of town. You guys closed things down pretty fast but word was it was aliens. That the thing you found in a crater west of here was what caused it all.”

“Aliens, huh?” the agent scoffed. 

“So was it?”

“Nah. I heard there was a freak monsoon that came in off the Pacific. It was all just downdrafts and wind shear.”

“Downdrafts and wind shear?” the old man questioned. “I suppose it could be. But it sure looked a lot like a tornado. Heard tell there was a silver robot too, but I didn’t see it.”

“Robot?” the agent snorted in disbelief. “Sounds like someone had one too many beers if they think a few tin roofs blown off sheds could be a robot.”

“Yeah, I thought that sounded like a bit much. But who knows these days?”

The agent gave a noncommittal shrug and took another sip of his coke. “Hey you know anyone heading into Albuquerque today? I know someone looking for a ride.” 

“Sally is making a supply run later. She only goes as far as the Costco on the north edge of town so she can’t take them all the way in if that’s what they’re looking for.”

“I’m sure that will be fine,” the agent replied as he pulled out his phone and began to text. After a moment he looked up and said, “Looks like they got a ride. Thanks though.”

“Sure,” the barkeep said with a shrug and got on with his cleaning.

Turning slightly in his seat the agent nudged Darcy with his knee. With a tilt of his head he indicated she should follow and slid off his stool to wander over to the jukebox. Darcy trailed after him, anxious to know if the agent had any other advice for her. As annoying as he was moment to moment, she had started to trust him. He seemed true to his word about wanting to help her even if his motivations were unclear. And, given that on her own Darcy doubted she would have made it this far she felt like she didn’t have much choice but to rely on him. 

Leaning into the jukebox as if he was considering his musical choices the agent said in a low tone, “Ok listen, we don’t have a lot of time. I have a place in Albuquerque. You’re welcome to use it. If I were you, I’d hole up there for the next month. Two if you can hold out that long. Ross is going to have the state crawling with people looking for you. You don’t have enough time to make a run for it so you need to hide. The place is stocked so you should be set for food. It won’t be exciting but you won’t starve. I might be able to bring you supplies. But chances are I’m going to be busy - looking for you. I’m not going to be getting leave anytime soon.”

“I need to get in touch with someone. They might be able to send me some money. Is there internet or a phone?” Darcy asked. 

“The last thing you need to do is contact someone. Seriously, everyone you’ve ever even spoken to is going to be questioned. Any family or friends you have will be watched. You are on your own,” the agent declared, his voice rising to convey his urgency. 

Glancing back to see if the bartender noticed his outburst the agent dropped a quarter into the jukebox and picked a song. As the music kicked in he glanced over at Darcy and gave a contrite shrug, “Ok, it’s not that bad. I’ve got your back and my place is stocked with everything you’re going to need. Computers, phones, guns.”

“Guns? What do I need a gun for?” Darcy interjected in disbelief.

Gritting his teeth the agent hissed, “Hold it down. Do you want the bartender to hear you?”

“He can’t hear me. He’s partially deaf,” Darcy responded with an unconcerned glance back at the old man. 

Relieved, the agent’s stance relaxed and he continued, “You might want a gun since the people hunting you will have them. You get cornered, it could come in handy.”

“I’m not using a gun,” Darcy insisted. 

“It’s up to you. But they’re there if you want one,” the agent replied with an indifferent shrug. Moving on he added, “Something you should know. They will be monitoring the internet so don’t do anything stupid like google yourself or SHIELD. The last thing you want to do is send up any red flags. Seriously, if I were you I’d stay off the internet.” 

“Got it.”

“Good. Now, please tell me you don’t have your phone on you,” the agent asked his skepticism evident.

“No. Of course not,” Darcy denied mildly insulted. 

“Just checking. I can guarantee Coulson already has someone tracking down your digital history. Anyone you’ve ever contacted is compromised. Going on the run is going to be the hardest thing you’ve ever done. And, you might be able to fool people into not seeing you but can you fool cameras? Because Ross and SHIELD have access to every camera in the country.”

“No. Damn it,” Darcy admitted unhappily. 

“Yeah. That’s going to be a problem. Do you have any money on you?”

“No.”

Digging out his wallet the agent handed her some cash as he said, “Right. Take this. It’s not a lot but it’s something.” Finding a scrap of paper in his wallet and pulling out a pen he began to write. “Here’s my address and cell number. You’re going to need to get your hands on a phone so you can find my place. As soon as you get to Albuquerque catch another ride. Get as far away from your first stop as you can. I’d spend the rest of the day hitching rides. Chances are it’s going to take SHIELD two or three days to get to the city’s street cameras. No one is going to think you made it out of town and we’ll be focused here for at least the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours.”

“How do I get a phone?” 

“You’re invisible. Steal one,” the agent said as if it were obvious.

“Oh,” Darcy replied, her discomfort at the idea plain.

“Hey, you’re going to have to do a lot of things you don’t like if you’re going to make it. I get it – stealing’s bad. But getting caught would be worse. You pick your battles. If it makes you feel better, steal from rich people.”

“I guess you’re right,” Darcy reluctantly conceded.

“Trust me, I am,” the agent declared. Twisting a key off a keychain and handing it to Darcy he continued, “Here’s the key to my place. The security code for the front door is 223443. Remember it. Otherwise, you’ll have some surprises you won’t like.”

Shifting his position as if he was reading his music choices on the jukebox Clint glanced back at the bartender to check to see what he was doing. Reassured by what he saw he continued, “Now, as long as you can get there and you keep your head down you might make it. If you don’t – well - keep my name out of things will you?”

“I don’t even know your name,” Darcy pointed out.

“Oh, yeah. That might help,” the agent said with a weak laugh. “Clint Barton.”

“I’m Darcy. Lewis.”

“Darcy? You’re going to need a new name. Yours is too memorable. Pick something common like Brittany or Jennifer. Something that will give you as much cover as possible,” Clint advised.

As Darcy tucked Clint’s house key into her pocket she frowned in confusion and said, “I don’t get it. Why do all this?”

“Let’s just say I have some experience in getting out of tight spots. I’ve had people help me so I’m just returning the favor,” Clint replied with a shrug. 

“Aren’t you going to get into trouble if SHIELD find’s out you helped me?”

“I’ll tell them you read my mind,” the agent replied unconcerned. “Now listen, as soon as you figure out which of those trucks out there is going to Albuquerque you need to get in it. Do whatever you have to do not to get caught. Seriously, climb up on the top of the cab and hang on. SHIELD is going to be searching everything and they’ll be thorough. Once you’re through their roadblock you can climb down into the back.” 

“This is insane. Why can’t they just leave me alone?” Darcy questioned in frustration.

“Yeah, the question every mutant asks. Everyone hates you until they can use you. And believe me, the US government will use you if they get a hold of you. I wouldn’t wish Ross on anyone.”

“Who’s this Ross guy?”

“General Thaddeus Ross is someone you want to stay as far away from as possible. Seriously. He’s bad news. He collects mutants. I got lucky. SHIELD got a hold of me before he did. But I can guarantee you he’s not going to let anything stop him from getting a hold of you. I know of a couple of mutants he’s actively searching for and you’ve just made his list.”

“Great,” Darcy grossed. 

“Yeah, I definitely don’t envy you.” 

“Breakfast is ready,” the barkeeper called out as he set a plate down on the bar. 

Looking up from the jukebox Clint replied, “Awesome, thanks.” Just as he turned to go he whispered, “As soon as you figure out which truck you need – go.”

“Thank you,” Darcy said softly as Clint walked away. She ached to reach out and stop him. She didn’t want to be alone. A chill crept over her as the fear Clint’s reassuring presence had kept at bay, came roaring back. In a very short amount of time, Darcy had come to rely on Clint’s protection. But she knew it was only temporary. If anything it was illusionary as there was little he could do to stop SHIELD. He had done what he could and given her a real chance of escaping and she’d be a fool not to take it. 

Clutching Clint’s money and the scrap of paper with his address and cell number Darcy carefully tucked them into her jeans pocket and cautiously crept over to the bar to listen. As Clint ate two other men came in from the back along with an older woman. The group was easy to read and Darcy quickly learned where each of the trucks was going. While she knew she should go out to the truck the woman was going to be driving Darcy hung back, unwilling to leave Clint. Her fear was too great. But she knew she needed to escape while she could. If she stayed she would be caught and Clint would be exposed as her accomplice. It would be a poor way of thanking him for all he had done. 

While he ate Clint let his guard down and for the first time, Darcy was able to get a complete read on him. His mind was quick and agile as it sprang from thought to thought. It swirled, vivid with color as it kaleidoscoped from violet to amethyst to periwinkle and then back to purple. Darcy was mesmerized. What surprised her most was the country music accompanying Clint’s thoughts and she found the mix of guitar, fiddle, and harmonica with a backbeat of drums oddly inviting. Clint was one of the few people she’d met, that wasn’t a professor, whose thoughts involved multiple instruments. That, combined with the unusual genre of music intrigued Darcy and drew her to him. She wished she had time to get to know him better. 

Clint was still chatting affably with the bartender when the woman left to run errands. Darcy was hesitant to leave but followed the old woman out the door to her truck with only a backward glance at the enigmatic agent. It tugged at her heart to walk away but she did, determined to make it out of town without SHIELD catching her.


	3. Hide and Seek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one had told Darcy how exhausting being on the run was going to be. If she had known she might have thought twice about it. But she was there now. No going back. She'd have to make the best of it. At least she can read minds and be invisible. They might be her saving grace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to thestancyg, crimtastic and littlemrscookie for their cheerleading and input. Each offered a suggestion or insight I used to improve the story.

If anyone had told Darcy what going on the run entailed, she would not have guessed it involved so much standing around. No one talked about the downtime. The waiting. Sure, there was the fear of being caught. Constant worry nagged at her and she saw danger at every turn. She was certain SHIELD would find her at any moment. But being continuously on the move just wasn’t feasible. It took time to get anywhere. 

During that first day, more often than not, Darcy stood off to the side of parking lots hoping to catch a ride in the back of a pickup truck. Listening in on driver after driver, hoping one of them was not simply going home but heading in the direction she needed was time-consuming. It took hours. 

The problem eventually came to a head as the day gave way to evening and she was still miles away from her designation. In desperation, Darcy placed a thought in a man’s mind to drive east toward the suburbs. Guilt ate her for manipulating him, but she felt she had little choice. The last thing she wanted to do was spend the night on the streets. 

Darcy rode with the man for only a short distance, worried he would sense he was being influenced. Still, he got her closer to where she needed to be. With that success, she chanced doing it again and eventually ended up in a suburb next to Clint’s. She didn’t dare get closer. The last thing she wanted to do was to lead SHIELD directly to her doorstep. Instead, she hoped to lose them wandering the many curving streets and cul-de-sacs that connected the two suburbs.

The sky was just lightening in the east when Darcy arrived, footsore and weary at the address Clint had given her. At first, she wasn’t sure she had the right place. A jungle of overgrown shrubbery and trees blocked the house from the street, making it impossible to see a house number. It took double-checking the addresses of the homes on each side before she accepted, she had arrived. 

It was with trepidation that Darcy crept forward to the front gate connected to the property’s chain-link fence. She found it practically rusted shut and had to give it a hard shove to get it to open. The violent screech it emitted caused her to freeze and wait with bated breath for anything to stir in the pale morning light. But there was only silence. With a last anxious glance about, she hurried into the gravel-strewn yard to find an old, squat, dilapidated adobe house hiding behind all the shrubbery.

Cautiously approaching the front door, Darcy held her breath as she put the key in the lock. She was almost weak with relief when it gave, and the door swung inward. A loud insistent beeping greeted her as dusty, stale air hit her in the face and in a panic, she scrambled inside anxious to find the security panel to shut off the alarm. It was jarring when silence fell. She stood listening for a time, all her senses straining to pick out even the most minuscule sound. But there was nothing. 

Letting out the breath she didn’t know she was holding, Darcy noted she wasn’t picking up any thoughts, neither music nor colors. As silent as the house was, it had to be empty. Still, she didn’t quite trust it. Strung out as she was from being on the run for over eighteen hours, she was still primed, ready to run. 

By that point, her eyes had adjusted to the gloom and Darcy could make out a small, sparsely furnished living room and to the right a dark hallway leading to the back of the house. Guessing the other room off the side of the corridor was the kitchen, she immediately made her way to it. The room was almost pitch black, but she located the faucet and almost cried in relief to find it worked. Cupping her hands under the tap, she gulped down the tepid water, ignoring its flat metallic taste. Splashing some on her face, Darcy shut her eyes and leaned heavily against the sink. She couldn't believe she had made it. 

She had stopped only once on her journey through the city. After traveling all day by early evening, Darcy had been thirsty and almost weak from hunger and so she had braved a McDonalds. The coolness of the restaurant had taken her breath away, contrasting as it did with the scorching desert sun. Unfortunately, taking a quick break had only brought home how tired she was. She wanted nothing more than to sit there for the rest of the night. But that wasn’t an option. As it was, she had taken a terrible chance as it was possible SHIELD was already tracking her. 

Now that she could rest, Darcy wasn’t able to. While her body was heavy with fatigue and her thoughts sluggish, a part of her was a buzz. A restlessness within kept her on high alert. Feeling both frenzied and drained, she couldn’t settle. It felt unreal that she was now safe.

Hearing a car drive by, Darcy stiffened, afraid SHIELD had found her. Tense, she stood in the middle of the kitchen and listened, sure that at any moment they would kick in the front door. As the silence lengthened, she tried to sense if there was any movement outside, but eventually; she had to concede there was no threat. No one was near the house. She was certain she would hear the thoughts of anyone nearby, and she had to accept she was alone. 

Sagging against the kitchen doorway, Darcy told herself there was no way SHIELD could have found her. At least not yet. Chances were they were still searching Puente Antiguo. And, even if they knew she had made it to Albuquerque, she was certain it was still too soon for them to have tracked her down via the city’s traffic cameras. She had a fleeting thought for Clint and whether he’d reveal where she was but dismissed it, certain he wouldn’t have gone to all the trouble of helping her only to betray her later. She had to believe she was safe - for now.

Stepping into the living room, Darcy could just barely make out a couch, chair and tv. Not knowing what else to do, she crossed to the dark hallway leading to the back of the house and running her hands along the edge of the entrance tried to get a feeling for what was there. She didn’t dare turn on the lights. Yet the unknown set her on edge. Finding a hallway light switch, she held her breath and flipped it on. The sudden glare was momentarily blinding, but she breathed a little easier with the discovery that blackout shades covered the bedroom windows. It was a relief to know she could turn on the lights and none of the neighbors would be the wiser. 

Her search led her to two small furnished bedrooms and a bathroom. Curious, she opened closet doors as she came to them and found clothes, linens, and toiletries in abundance. In one wardrobe she found brand new laptops and boxes of electronic equipment. In another closet she found a bow and two quivers of arrows. Alongside was a long case branded with the logo Barret Firearms Company. It was a chilling reminder that Clint was a SHIELD agent. She also came to the disquieting conclusion that he probably had a good reason for needing a safe house. A further glance through the cabinet revealed three hard plastic cases. In addition, there was a wrapped leather satchel she decided she didn’t want to look at too closely. She could make a few guesses as to what she was looking at but decided she really didn’t need to know. Instead, Darcy closed the door, certain she would have no need for anything inside in the future. 

Finished inspecting the house, Darcy stood in the living room at loose ends. She didn’t know what to do now that she had made it to her designation. There was one small comfort. She could hear the neighbors waking. Which meant she had an early warning system of a sort. They could keep her abreast of anything unusual happening in the neighborhood. Still, she didn’t feel much safer. If SHIELD came, Darcy doubted she would have enough notice to escape. 

At a loss to know what to do next, Darcy wandered into a bedroom and slowly lowered herself onto the bed. Her hands were shaking slight as she pulled down the dusty bedcover, and she questioned whether she should sleep. But her body ached, and her limbs felt heavier the longer she sat there. So, she stripped off her grimy, travel-worn clothes and crawled under the covers. She lay there for a time, her muscles throbbing and her mind sluggish as she considered all the ways SHIELD could find her. Still, her head weighed heavy upon her pillow and fear could only hold her exhaustion at bay for so long. Eventually, she surrendered to it. 

In the days following her arrival to Clint’s safe house, Darcy’s fear of being discovered grew and receded with every passing hour. It was a constant companion. She was sure SHIELD was going to kick in the door at any moment. But she was just as certain she had been careful. Her journey through the city had taken unpredictable turns and had, mostly, avoided the major thoroughfares. The long walk she had taken in the middle of the night she hoped would also be enough to throw SHIELD off her scent. There were literally thousands of homes she could be hiding in. The chances of them finding her were minuscule at best. 

Still, fear dogged Darcy as she crept through the house the first few days. She spent most of her waking hours in muted gray light, afraid to make any noise. She held her breath every time she flipped on a light switch; sure it would cause her discovery. Hunger ultimately forced her into exploring the kitchen, and initially, she limited herself to granola bars and water, afraid to make even the smallest sound cooking. 

Eventually, Darcy realized she was being ridiculous. She had to believe Clint would not have sent her there if it wasn’t safe. Turning on lights and cooking were not activities that would reveal her presence. Neither would taking a shower or turning on the TV. But paranoia plagued her. What if SHIELD could track her via electrical usage? Was that even a thing? She didn’t think so, but she still worried. 

Fear of discovery was not the only worry that besieged Darcy. Concern for Jane warred within her as well. When she ran, she hadn’t considered what would happen to the scientist. Now she worried SHIELD would make Jane pay for Darcy’s escape. She liked to think Coulson was above such pettiness, but she wasn’t sure anymore. The man had fallen in her esteem after everything that had happened. She could only hope that Jane would forgive her for running and understand Darcy had had little choice. 

As the days ticked by, there was little for Darcy to do but watch TV. It ended up being useful. She discovered the local news stations were reporting her missing. She apparently had disappeared on her way to Albuquerque and urgently needed medical attention. There was even an interview with a woman claiming to be her mother, begging the public for information. The charade horrified Darcy as her mother had died when she was a child. Such mockery left her shaking in anger and desperately wishing she had some place to direct her rage. 

The story did one thing. It brought home to Darcy the lengths SHIELD would go to find her. Their audacity was stunning, and it went far to strengthen her resolve to evade them. Eventually, though, common-sense overruled her anger. She had been invisible the entire time she traveled through the city. She was certain no one had seen her. And by the time the report aired, she was already in hiding. No one was going to locate her because of a missing person’s report.

Appalled as she was by the news story, Darcy could only imagine what she’d find online. With trepidation, she opened one of Clint’s laptops and logged on to the internet. Terrified of alerting SHIELD to her whereabouts, she didn’t dare do specific searches. Instead, she scoured websites looking for anything she could find on her or SHIELD or the infamous General Ross. She expected little. 

What Darcy found was her missing person’s report on numerous websites and a Facebook page asking for information. As for SHIELD, she found nothing. Which wasn’t a surprise given they were a secret government organization. She tracked down a few news articles mentioning General Ross. Most related to scientific research the Army was doing. There were also a few that referenced him in relation to an incident in Harlem. Those articles led her to the sighting of the Hulk at Culver University. Nothing clearly said he was doing anything wrong. But she gathered there was likely more to the story than she was seeing. Unsettled by what she found Darcy’s resolve to avoid Ross at all costs only strengthened. 

As the weeks dragged on Darcy got complacent as she didn’t pick up anything of note from any of the neighbors and there was nothing in the news that worried her. She just couldn’t maintain the hypervigilance she had when she first arrived at the safe house. Needless to say, hearing the screech of the front gate opening and the sudden onslaught of new thoughts was startling. Panicked, Darcy froze in her seat and strained to listen. Turning off the TV she mentally flailed about trying to decide what to do when in the next instant she recognized the distinctive twang of honky-tonk guitar and the backbeat of drums. 

Identifying Clint’s distinctive thought patterns, Darcy relaxed minutely and stood to greet him. Just from the thoughts, he was projecting, she knew there was no danger. He was simply there to check on her. Still, after so much time alone, she was anxious. Darcy knew she was still in a precarious position. She doubted SHIELD had stopped looking for her. 

It was a little awkward seeing Clint. They didn’t actually know one another. But the agent’s laid-back manner set Darcy quickly at ease. He simply brought reassurances that SHIELD and Ross had made no progress in their search. But he cautioned Darcy that she wasn’t out of the woods yet. While SHIELD was taking a backseat in the search, Ross’s desire to have a powerful telepath under his control spurned him on and he had dedicated a significant amount of personnel to scour the state for her. There would be no easy escape.

In the meantime, Clint planned to replenish Darcy’s supplies as he thought it would be best if she spent another month in hiding. He hoped that the intense scrutiny the area was receiving would lessen by then. He also showed her another reason he had chosen the safe house. The home lay at the edge of a warehouse district, and directly behind the house, Clint had leased a garage to store an SUV just in case he needed to make a run for it. It turned out it was lucky he had.

Their arrival was impossible to miss. One minute the only thing Darcy could hear was a mellow bluesy tune from Clint and various musical notes from the neighbors, when in the next a barrage of colors momentarily blinded her as jagged strains of metal guitar overwhelmed them all. 

As soon as the music crashed through her mind, she stiffened, suddenly alert and listening for more. Her sudden change in posture caught Clint’s attention. He looked at her questioningly, ready to move at her word. Eyes wide, Darcy whispered, “Someone’s here. They’re giving orders to surround the house.”

“I’ll get our go bags,” Clint replied as he jumped to his feet. “Get to the back door. We’ll head to the SUV.”

Rising, Darcy said, “The trees and fence are giving them trouble. They can’t get into the backyard.”

Clint cast a satisfied smirk her way as he rushed out of the room, leaving Darcy at loose ends. Wanting to do something useful, she cautiously crept into the dark kitchen and gathered bottles of water and granola bars. She hoped they would be on the run long enough to need them. 

Clint met her at the back door and gave her bag of supplies a grim nod of approval as he reached up to pull back the door’s deadbolt. “You ready for this?” he whispered. 

In response, Darcy placed her hand over his to stop him from opening the door. She stood listening for another moment before saying hesitantly, “I think I can put them to sleep.”

“If you can - do it,” Clint said in a low, urgent tone. “I don’t like our chances knowing the number of guys Ross probably brought in.”

“Let them come,” Darcy quietly urged. “The closer they are the better.”

Clint grimaced, not liking the idea, “You’re sure?”

“Yeah,” Darcy replied, eyes becoming distant as she concentrated on the men surrounding them. 

Grabbing Darcy’s arm, Clint pulled her away from the back door and pushed her down behind the kitchen table. “How many?” he hissed.

Darcy frowned, “Twelve? Around the house. There are more out in the street. I don’t think more than fifteen total.” She added with a nod to the right, “The neighbors are starting to notice. Their trucks are blocking the street.”

“They’re not going to care. You’re what’s important,” Clint replied. Glancing around, straining to listen, he asked, “You ready?”

“Yeah. Any second now,” Darcy whispered. 

Moments later, the window above the kitchen sink exploded as a canister spewing white gas came crashing through it. Clint dived for the container and threw it back out the window as something heavy began pounding against the back door. Coughing, Darcy staggered up from the floor trying to get away from the gas and looked around disoriented, overwhelmed by the canopy of noise surrounding her. The sound of glass breaking filled the house as indistinct shouting came from the living room where the front door was breached. 

Overwhelming as the noise was, it was minor compared to the crescendo of thoughts that emanated from the men invading the home. Their grim determination to take Darcy by whatever means necessary paralyzed her. The sound of squealing metal guitars and garish colors blinded her, and it took Clint grabbing her arm and yelling, “Hey!” to shake her from her stupor. 

Knowing she had little time, instinct took over. Grasping the side of Clint’s face, Darcy projected the idea of strong coffee and a bright sunrise, hoping they would be enough to keep him awake. In the next instance she reached out to all the minds she could sense and then immersed herself in the feeling of relaxing onto a soft, plush bed. She pushed the idea of how good it felt to lie down and to sleep deeply. She had barely finished her thought when suddenly everything stilled. A second later the dull thuds of bodies hitting the floor and the clatter of metal striking the ground was heard. 

The silence that settled over the house was startling. It was as if time stood still. The sudden shift hit Darcy hard as the thoughts of more than a dozen people vanished. Unprepared, she slumped forward and had to catch herself against the kitchen counter. Just as she was regaining her facilities, Clint grabbed her arm and pulling her forward said, “We gotta go.”

They found the back door splintered and barely hanging on its hinges with three black clade men lying around a metal battering ram. Instead of jumping over them Clint ripped the face masks off two of the men and handing one to Darcy he said, “You’re going to need this to get to the garage. Run as fast as you can.”

Pulling the face mask on, Darcy stepped over the bodies and found the backyard full of white gas. She had a fleeting impression of others lying in the yard before she was running full out for the backdoor of the warehouse behind the house. Clint got there first and was punching in the security code to the door when they could hear noise coming from the front of the house. Glancing over at her worriedly, he asked, “Can you do something about that?”

Looking back anxiously, Darcy saw movement in the shadows and reaching deep she again projected the idea of sleep. In moments all was silent again and the pair hurried into the garage. 

“Strip. Now,” Clint ordered, throwing aside his face mask and pulling his shirt over his head.

Confused, Darcy stood watching him, not understanding what was happening. As Clint toed off his shoes, he glanced up at her and said, “Get your clothes off. You’re covered in tear gas. You don’t want to get in the car dressed like that.” Tossing her go-bag at her, he added, “We’re not going to take these, they’re covered in tear gas. The clothes inside are probably ok. Get changed. I’ve got other stuff we can use if we need anything.”

Not thinking clearly but numbly following directions, Darcy pulled her t-shirt over her head. She was blindly undoing her jeans when Clint asked, “How long are they going to stay down?”

It took a moment for Darcy to register what he had asked, but as she dug through her go-bag, she replied, “I don’t know. I’ve only ever done it for Jane when she couldn’t sleep.”

Not liking the answer, Clint frowned as he slid on his fresh jeans. Opening the backdoor of the SUV he riffled through a massive duffle bag and pulled out tennis shoes. Tossing a pair to Darcy, he quickly slipped his on and continued to dig in the bag. Pulling out bottles of water, he handed one to her and said, “Wash your face. It’ll help.”

It was only then that Darcy registered her eyes were tearing and that her chest felt tight. Understanding struck that even the limited amount of tear gas she had run through was taking its toll, and she carefully splashed her face with water. It took a few moments but eventually, her eyes cleared and looking around she found Clint lifting large red gas cans into the back of the SUV. 

Catching her eye, Clint explained, “The longer we can go without filling up, the better.” Adding, “If you’re done changing, get in.” 

After adding two more gas cans to the back, Clint climbed into the SUV and hit a button on the dashboard. As the garage door before them gave a mighty groan and inched its way upward, he glanced over at Darcy and asked, “All clear?”

“Yeah,” Darcy readily assured him. She concentrated for another moment before adding, “I think they’re all still down. I can’t hear anyone. Not even the neighbors. I think I got them all.”

Slowly inching out into the street, Clint turned left and picked his way through the neighborhood, skirting the industrial park to the northwest. Continually checking his rearview mirror, he drove at a sedate pace, not wanting to attract any attention. Glancing over at Darcy, he asked, “Is anyone following?”

Frowning in concentration, it took a moment for Darcy to reply, “No, I don’t think so.”

Clint slowed as they approached a stop sign and paused long enough to open the glove box and pull out a pair of horn-rimmed glasses and a ball cap. Putting them on, he glanced over at Darcy and with a nod at the floor asked, “Can you get down? Chances are they’re going to be looking for two people.”

“Yeah, sure,” Darcy replied before sliding down onto the floorboards. 

“It won’t be for long,” Clint assured her. “I’ll probably be able to avoid streets with cameras, but better safe than sorry. As soon as we make it out of town, you can come back up.”

“It’s fine,” Darcy replied as she shifted, trying to get comfortable. As she slowly relaxed, she asked, “How did they find us?”

“It can’t be a coincidence that they showed up right after I got here,” Clint replied with a disgruntled shake of his head. “Did you pick up anything before you knocked them out?”

“They focused on me. But I got the impression there was a woman with them they were sort of afraid of. I’m guessing it was Pena, but I’m not sure.”

“Probably. Or, the telepath Ross has working for him. I don’t know how else they could have found us,” Clint replied. “Could you tell – were they carrying live rounds or tranqs?”

“Tranquilizers.”

“That’s good, at least. Ross isn’t going to want to hurt you if he can help it. You’re too valuable.”

“Great,” Darcy huffed.

“Better than being wanted dead or alive,” Clint pointed out.

They drove in silence for a short time before Clint turned into another neighborhood, heading south. “Where are we going?” Darcy asked.

“I figured we’d head southeast. There are plenty of state and county roads in that direction. We need to get off the radar fast and they won’t have cameras. Ever been to Houston? I’ve got a place there.”

“Do you have places everywhere?” Darcy asked in quiet disbelief. 

“Na. But it pays to have safe houses near SHIELD bases. You never know when you’re going to need an out.”

“Did anyone else know about your place here?”

Clint was silent as he considered the question. Eventually, he replied, “Two people. We set the place up together last year. But they wouldn’t have said anything.”

“Then you must have been followed,” Darcy said. 

“No. I’d have known if I were followed,” Clint declared with a dismissive shake of his head. 

“They found us somehow.”

“Yeah,” Clint reluctantly agreed. 

“So…Are you going to get in trouble? I mean, they have to know you’re helping me.”

Clint shrugged, “Yeah. They know. But this could play out a couple different ways.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, SHIELD isn’t going to be happy, but I think they might look past it as long as Ross doesn’t get his hands on you. SHIELD works with him when they have to, but no one is going to be all that upset if he doesn’t get what he wants. He’ll yell and make some trouble, but it will blow over eventually,” Clint explained. 

“And, if they catch us?”

“Yeah, that could be a problem,” Clint admitted with a grimace. 

“Why are they doing this? Sure, I can read people’s minds. But trust me, it’s not that great,” Darcy complained.

“Yeah, well, there are a lot of people who would like to have a telepath in their pocket. You’d be perfect for interrogations. And Ross hasn’t gotten as far as he has by playing nice. He’d send you in to dig up secrets on anyone he’s after. Hell, he could probably put you in a room and you’d find out what you needed to know without asking any questions. Right?”

Darcy reluctantly replied, “I guess. I don’t like to read a person’s mind by force. I mean, sure, I hear people’s thoughts, but I can usually ignore them. And when I can’t I mostly pick up music and colors. What they’re thinking is sort of secondary. Unless I’m specifically trying to read a person, I really only hear thoughts when someone is projecting them.”

“Music and colors?” Clint asked in confusion. 

“Yeah. Everyone thinks in color and most people’s thoughts have sounds – usually a musical instrument.”

“Really? Wow. I’ve never heard of that before,” Clint replied, intrigued. “What do I sound like?”

“You?” Darcy snorted. “You’re a trip. Everything you think about is in purple and you sound like a country-western bar. It’s all steel guitars and fiddles and harmonicas and drums. I’ve never heard anything like it.”

Delighted Clint grinned, “Cool.”

“Yeah, you’re special,” Darcy wryly teased. “Most people think in just one instrument at a time. Except for some scientists, I know. They sound like orchestras. My political science professors’ thoughts were like paintings since they mostly thought in colors.” 

“Huh. But you can also read a person’s mind?”

“Yeah, but I try not to. I mean, I can’t help it, but I do my best to block people.”

“What am I thinking right now?” Clint asked with a smirk as if to dare her.

Darcy scoffed at him and with narrow eyes replied, “You’re trying not to think of anything, but if you were serious about it, you could block me, you have before. But since you asked, you’re trying to remember if the road we’re on goes directly out to a county road you want or if you need to cut further east first. You’re also thinking about Coulson and you’re wondering if he knew where you were going.” 

“You can get all that?”

“Why would Coulson know where you were going?”

“You don’t know?”

“I could find out if I wanted to. But it’s more polite to ask, and then I can tell if you’re telling me the truth,” Darcy replied.

Clint was silent for a moment before glancing down at Darcy and said with an apologetic shrug, “He was the one that told me to take off for a few days. And he also knows about my place. He had to know I was going to head there.”

“So, he told someone,” Darcy concluded.

“No. He wouldn’t have said anything to Ross’ people, even if he thought I was helping you. But if Ross brought in a telepath, they could have gotten it from him if he had his suspicions. They could have gotten it from me, even. Though, if they had, they probably wouldn’t have let me leave the base.”

“You trust Coulson an awful lot,” Darcy observed.

“Yeah. We go back a long way. He was the one that brought me in.”

“If he brought you in, why would you trust him?” Darcy asked in confusion. 

“Coulson knew if SHIELD didn’t get me, someone else would. Most likely Ross. And he was honest from the get-go. I mean - sure, he shot me. But at least he had a good reason.”

“He shot you?” Darcy asked, her voice rising in disbelief. 

“Yeah. He was getting tired of chasing me and needed to slow me down.”

“So, he shot you?” Darcy repeated in dismay. 

“I know it sounds bad,” Clint said with a laugh. “But it was only in the leg. Once he got me patched up, he had me cornered long enough to give me his pitch.”

“It must have been a hell of a pitch if he could convince you to join SHIELD after shooting you.”

“Yeah, it was. But by that point I had been working ops on my own and was getting tired of it. The way I was going, someone was either going to catch me or kill me. Coulson gave me another option.”

“Yeah, he caught you,” Darcy pointed out.

“Yes, and no. He gave me a place to go. I could stop looking over my shoulder and slow down long enough to think about what I really wanted.” 

“What was it you wanted?”

Clint shrugged, “What anyone wants. A place to belong. To do something useful.”

“Yeah, well, I was doing something useful before SHIELD showed up. I was perfectly happy with Jane.”

Clint nodded in understanding before replying, “You know if you signed on with SHIELD you could probably go back to what you were doing. I mean, sure, they’d ask you to do other stuff, but they’d let you live your life.”

“Funny. I didn’t get that impression when Coulson was trying to take me into custody. It sounded like I was going to be held prisoner. And considering guys with guns are hunting me, I don’t think I’m going to be changing that opinion any time soon.”

“Yeah, but that’s Ross. Not SHIELD. We might work with him sometimes but given a choice SHIELD does their own thing.”

“Then why didn’t Coulson say something?”

“Probably because he couldn’t. Pena was there, right? She’s Ross’ attack dog. Coulson wasn’t going to say anything in front of her.”

“Yeah, well, he should have said something. Or, thought something. If he was so ready to help me, I would have picked up on it,” Darcy scoffed. “All I got from him was that he was committed to doing his job, no matter how much he didn’t like it.”

Clint acknowledged her assessment with a reluctant nod. “He probably thought he could bring you in and then find a way for SHIELD to gain custody later. I can guarantee if you made it clear you didn’t want to work for Ross Coulson would have found a way to get you out of it.”

“It’s too late now,” Darcy grumbled.

“Not really. SHIELD would take you in whenever you’re ready to join up,” Clint argued.

With a huff, Darcy said, “For someone who is trying to help me escape you’re talking an awful lot about me joining SHIELD.”

Unconcerned by her accusation, Clint shrugged, “You need to know you have options. Ross isn’t going to stop looking for you. And you can’t stay on the run forever. Have you given any thought about where you want to go or what you want to do?”

Darcy was silent for a long moment before confessing, “I don’t know what to do. I don’t have any money and getting a job without ID is nearly impossible. Same thing for finding someplace to live.”

“I can get you ID. That won’t be hard,” Clint quickly assured her. “We’d need to set you up someplace off the beaten path. Some mid-sized town you can get lost in the shuffle but not so big they have street cameras. You can get a job waitressing or as a check-out girl or something. Nothing that would attract attention. Maybe once you’ve got some work history, you can try for something else, but it would take some time.”

“Great. I almost have a college degree and now I’ll never be able to use it,” Darcy complained.

“It’s part of the sacrifice you make when you go on the run. You have to ask yourself how much do you value your freedom?”

Darcy didn’t reply but scooted around on the floor trying to get more comfortable. After a moment Clint glanced down at her and said, “If you want to come back up, you can. We’re going to clear Albuquerque soon.”

Pulling herself up into the passenger seat, Darcy groaned as she got comfortable and pulled the seatbelt over her chest. “I don’t want to have to do that very often,” she groused.

“You shouldn’t have to for a while at least. We’ll be taking state highways and county roads from here on out. It’s going to make for a longer drive, but we stand a better chance of getting away. I figure we can probably make Houston in 18 hours. Longer if we take gravel roads.”

“Gravel roads?”

“Yeah, we’re going to get off the beaten path. Which is good and bad. There won’t be anyone around to see us, but if Ross finds us, we’re going to be screwed since there won’t be anywhere to hide either.”

“That sounds promising,” Darcy snarked.

“Yeah well, any direction you drive out of Albuquerque you have the same problem. Hundreds of miles of nothing. There’s nothing but desert going west and even fewer roads to choose from. We can’t go northwest because that’s where your boss is. They’re hoping you go back to her. If we went east, we’d end up parallel to the interstate, which makes us too easy to track. I’m betting they think we’ll go south to Mexico or north to the Rockies. The mountains would be a nightmare to search.”

“We’re going east,” Darcy pointed out.

“At the moment, yes. But we’re going to head southeast. We’ll cut through the state and get over to west Texas. Hope you like cactus because it’s some of the most desolate country you’ll ever see.”

“You really know how to sell this trip.”

“What can I say? This is what you get when you wait until the last minute to plan your itinerary.”

“Ha-ha.”

Clint shrugged, offering no apologies. 


End file.
